Man charged with trespassing at Swift's RI house

Published August 22. 2013 11:00AM

Updated August 22. 2013 11:20AM

Associated Press

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Authorities say a Maine man went to the Rhode Island beach house of singer Taylor Swift and handed a security guard a note telling her to call him and leaving his cellphone number. He's been charged with trespassing.

Police have said they gave 55-year-old Joseph Bernatche a no trespass notice after he allegedly was on Swift's property in April for a similar reason.

Bernatche, of Portland, is due in court Friday in Rhode Island for a pretrial conference. He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of willful trespass after his July 27 arrest.

His lawyer, Michael J. Robinson, says Bernatche was not on Swift's Westerly property when he delivered the note, so he did not trespass.